| Everything but the Girl – We Walk The Same Line Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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This song was written solely (at least credited solely to) by Tracey Thron, and deals with the diagnosis and struggle that her partner (Ben Watt) went through with regards to Churg-Strauss syndrome, a disease that would nearly take his life. Read his autobiography / memoir ("Patient", 1997) for more on that itself, but at the time this album was recorded and released (1993/1994) it wasn't quite common knowledge. Listen to this song again, but look at it not from Thorn's perspective (offering support to her partner (now husband)) but from the perspective of the patient. Up all night, unable to sleep, sick with worry. (I don't have to tell you how slow the night can go. I know you've watched for the light. And I bet you could tell me how slowly four follows three, and you're most forlorn just before dawn) Or the agony of waiting for some news or prognosis, knowing that it could be your last. (And I don't need reminding how loud the phone can ring when you're waiting for news. And that big old moon lights every corner of the room. Your back aches from lying and your head aches from crying.) This is a touching song of support, a public airing of undying love from one partner (Thorn) to another (Watt) - and it couldn't be more beautiful if it tried. If you lose your faith, you can have (read: SHARE) mine - we walk the same line. |
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| John Mayer – Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967 Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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On the whole "did he live, did he die" topic, I've got my own theories about this which diverge a bit from the common thoughts. I think Walt Grace died, but not in the sense of "he drowned at sea" which seems to be what people are mainly going with. I think Walt Grace found out he had a terminal illness. ('Cause when you're done with this world, You know the next is up to you.) He knew he was dying, but didn't want those around him to feel sorry for him. So he decided to do one last grand task, a final fulfilment. He was ridiculed (his wife told his kids he was crazy / his friends said he'd fail if he tried) but they didn't know the real motivation behind it all. He had his will to work hard - if not now, when? - and set out to reach his goal. I think that final call to his wife wasn't from Walt, but from a hospital in Japan where he'd ended up after taking his submarine ride all the way across the Pacific. Remember, this was 1967 in the context of the song. The internet didn't exist, so it would have been a lot harder to track somebody down, let alone the spouse of a body that washed up on the shores of Tokyo had he died at sea. His wife had already come to terms with his death (the call she'd planned on receiving, finally made it home) and she accepted it (his death, not the phone call) but what she could never imagine is that he had disappeared to Tokyo (the news she'd never expected). |
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| Ben Folds – The Frown Song Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I can't believe nobody has mentioned this before, but think about this. Ben Folds left his third wife, Frally Hanes, for their *yoga instructor* - Float back from the spa to the car / state of bliss and it wasn't the steam room. ... Guess we know who's been fucking the guru. Perhaps a little bit more autobiographical material in the song than people are giving credit for. |
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